The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-05-08
JACOB sHARP's HOME LIFE.
A Few Points About the ALLEGED Briber
of the Boodlers

NEW YORK, May Jake Sharp comes to
trial within week and the event viii in
terest the whole country. 1t is singular
that as much as his name has been before
the public, nothing is ever said about his
home life or his early struggles, and yet
both are unusually full of interest. Jacob
Sharp began life in the northern part of
New York as poor boy, who had TO work so
hard for his daily bread that there was little
time left for study, and whatever spare time
he did have was given up to experiments
which he hoped would result in the invent
ing of something that would be the founda-
ton of fortune, for he was ambitious, and
he worked with quiet, logged persistence
that was bound to succeed. People were di-
vided in there opinions Of him, some think
ing him fool, others believing him genius.
When he was 10 he married his present
wife, who was then about IA, and they went
TO live in little log cabin which he had
built with his own hands He made all the
furniture, and some of it was beautifully
carved by the aid of a iacklxnife.
Their home was on the edge of the forest
which he cleared little by little, working for
farmers about at IS per month and having
but little time 10 work at home. Still he
managed to cultivate enough to give them
q living in addition to his wages. Here
their first child was born.
During the first five years of their mar
ried life no two ever worked harder than
they, and it was not long before their in
dustry and frugality began to tell About
this time Mr. Sharp patented his horseshoe
which was the foundation of his future
success, and this was followed by other in
ventions in rapid succession. In 1S49 they
left Rome and came to New York and pros
pered.
Their first child was born in a log cabin,
their last In house worth $4,000. Mr..
Sharp became interested in the horse cars
and since 1852 has been trying to get
franchise on Broadway. At this time his
wife kept and made a home for him. the
like of w ich few men can boast. Their
home in Twenty-third street is a large,
rather old-fashioned building, with small
grass plot in front and large yard in the
rear.
The house is furnished handsomely and
even. huxuriously, but with more regard for
comfort than display.
Mrs Sharp, like heI husband worked
hard in her youth, and brought up her
children herself, but her innate refinement
and true, gentle womanlness have long since
overcome her early lack of education.
Some years ago she began to paint, feel
ing that she had at least love for art, and
though she had many periods of discourage
ment, has succeeded 50 well that her house
is filed with handsome paintings, many of
them bet6er than the average shown at the
academy. She paints from nature gener-
ally. and artists say that her pictures are
worthy of high praise.
The whole atmosphere of her home is ona
of peace and comfort and domestic liar
mony and she is one of the sweetest. best and
kindost of women. Her charities are UNI
bounded, though done in silence. She
dresses simply and plainly except on rare oc-
casions. and kepps an almost open house for
everybody All her children are living ex-
cept her first born son. who died a couple OF
years ago, and she has several grandchild-
ron, all OF them having talent, ard one, Mrs
Dell Rogers, Is bound for success in litera-
ture. Their home life lisa model for every.
body to follow, and IL seems hard that their
old age should be overshadowed, and espec-
tally that she should suffer,
OLIVE HARPER.